April 15, 2014 - In 1969, the first message was sent between computers via ARPANET, the precursor of the Internet. In the same year, ISACA was founded by a small group of visionary electronic data processing auditors. As a testament to the growth of technology, ISACA, now a global association of information systems professionals, is celebrating its 45th anniversary and serves 115,000 constituents (members and non-member certification holders) in 180 countries.

The nonprofit, independent ISACA is an advocate for professionals involved in information security, audit, assurance, risk management and governance. It offers globally tested good practices, tools, certifications, guidance and a community of more than 200 local chapters to help business and IT leaders maximize value and manage risk related to information and technology.

Founded as the EDP Auditors Association, the organization’s name was changed to Information Systems Audit and Control Association in 1994 and was shortened to ISACA in 2006 to reflect a broader membership.

“ISACA is proud to celebrate the growth and success that the association has experienced in the past 45 years,” said Tony Hayes, CGEIT, AFCHSE, CHE, FACS, FCPA, FIIA, international president of ISACA and appointed Deputy Director-General of the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services in the Queensland Government, Australia. “Tens of thousands of professionals around the world have contributed their time and expertise to ISACA, enabling the association to deliver on its mission: helping its members and their enterprises achieve trust in, and value from, their information systems. It is exciting to look toward the future and the plans ISACA has in store to serve its global constituents and businesses in all industries.”

Among the association’s plans for its 45th year are an increased focus on cybersecurity and privacy, in addition to new audit guidance based on the COBIT 5 framework and an online version of COBIT 5.

ISACA developed and continually updates COBIT, a business framework for the governance and management of enterprise information and technology. Used by enterprises worldwide, COBIT 5 was recently included as an informative reference in the core of the US Cybersecurity Framework, released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) this year.

ISACA also advances and attests IT skills and knowledge through four certifications: Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC). The CISA credential, established in 1978 as a standard of achievement for information systems audit, has been earned by more than 106,000 individuals since inception. The CISM designation, designed for experienced information security managers, has been earned by more than 23,000 professionals since it was established in 2002. More than 5,800 IT governance professionals have earned CGEIT since its inception in 2007. CRISC, introduced in 2010 for risk and control professionals, has been earned by more than 17,000 individuals.